Weekly News from Zion and our Ministries Under the Cross, especially Evergreen Academy

October 26, 2022

Opportunities to

"Just Show Up" x 5

Beginning this Sunday, we are celebrating five back-to-back special Sundays, including three major festivals of the church year – and that's not even including Thanksgiving or Christmas!

If ever there was a prime opportunity to make your way (back) to church, especially in person, this is it!

October 30th is Reformation Sunday. This is the day that we celebrate all that Martin Luther and other pioneers did to reform the church AND that the church is still reforming through us. As Luther himself said, this day is a reminder that "God doesn't love us because of our worth; we are of worth because God loves us." We will be formally affirming our Reconciling in Christ status in worship.

November 6th is All Saints Sunday. This is the day on which we remember all who have died (especially in the last year) and rejoice in God's baptismal promises. To submit a name to our list of remembrance, click here.

November 13th is our inaugural, re-imagined Second Sunday Healing Service. We will pray for all in need of healing and offer anointing for healing during the service. Invite those you know who are in need of healing.

November 20th is Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday of the church year before we begin all over again with the season of Advent. On this day, we will be dedicating our new Bill Haar Prayer Garden and giving thanks for the three Eagle Scouts who made it possible.

November 27th is the First Sunday in Advent. This will be an interactive worship service during which we will "hang the greens," sing the songs, and decorate our church sanctuary for the Advent & Christmas seasons. We will be looking for worship assistants from among our youth to lead the way.

 Save the dates!

Mark your calendars!

It's festival season, Zion!

First Friday in November

Friday, November 4, 2022

6:00 p.m.

The Cove Waterfront Restaurant

1754 SE 3rd Court

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

(The Cove is the flagship restaurant of the Cove Shopping Center and recently reopened its indoor dining area following a renovation by new owners. The shopping center is located on the south side of Hillsboro Blvd. between Federal Highway [US1] and the Intracoastal Bridge.) 

Don't make dinner plans and come as you are! We enjoy delicious food and one another's fellowship. We each pay our own way, but everyone is invited to the table — friends, family members, and neighbors!

Opportunities to Serve Joyfully & Give Selflessly

Thank You to the City of Deerfield Beach!

As Cantor Kurt Schmidt announced on Sunday, Nina's Place received $40,000 in grant money from the American Rescue Plan funding allotted to the City of Deerfield Beach, and we are thrilled!

Thank you to the City of Deerfield Beach staff, Mayor Ganz, and all of the commissioners for believing in Nina's Place and our community collaboration. Special thanks to Joel Smith, our friend and CEO of Deerfield Beach Community Cares, for submitting a stellar application on our collective behalf! 

As wonderful as this is, the grant money cannot be used to purchase furnishings, technology, and all of the items we still need. Your generosity is still a part of our journey!

To visit Nina's Place on our website, click here. Especially as we approach the holidays, thank you for spreading the word and for your generosity!

This Sunday: Reformation Sunday

Rooted in the past and growing into the future, the church must always be reformed in order to live out the love of Christ in an ever-changing world. We celebrate the good news of God’s grace, that Jesus Christ sets us free every day to do this life-transforming work. Trusting in the freedom given to us in baptism, we pray for the church, that Christians will unite more fully in worship and mission.

Readings

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Psalm 46

Romans 3:19-28

John 8:31-36

Zion is a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) community, and extends God's radical welcome to all people, because we're all created in God's image.